BRIN Warns 1mg Nicotine Limit Could Make Local Tobacco Unusable for Industry

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has warned that a proposed regulation limiting nicotine content to 1 milligram per cigarette could render locally grown tobacco unusable for the industry. Setiari Marwanto, Head of BRIN’s Plantation Crop Research Centre, stated that the nicotine content in tobacco is influenced by many factors, including nitrogen fertiliser use, variety, and environmental conditions. He noted that BRIN’s collection of over 1,200 local tobacco germplasms typically has a natural nicotine content above 2 per cent, meaning a sudden imposition of the 1 mg limit would prevent local tobacco from meeting industrial requirements without adequate preparation.

Yudi Wahyudi, Head of the Seasonal Crops Group at the Ministry of Agriculture, echoed these concerns, stating that developing low-nicotine tobacco varieties suitable for Indonesia’s tropical climate could require a transition period of up to 30 years. He explained that local varieties such as Kemloko from Temanggung and Mole from West Java have specific characteristics shaped by local soil, weather, and environmental conditions. Both officials urged that policies directly affecting farmers’ tobacco be postponed until a safe and viable transition is fully assured, warning that the national tobacco industry could be severely impacted without sufficient time to develop and widely cultivate new varieties.